The Boston Marathon was first run in April of 1897, after Bostonians were inspired by the revival of the marathon for the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. It is the oldest continuously running marathon, arguably the most prestigious, and the second longest continuously running footrace in North America, having debuted five months after the Buffalo Turkey Trot. Women were not allowed to officially enter the Boston Marathon until 1972. In 1966, Bobbi Gibb became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. In 1967, Kathrine Switzer, who had registered as “K. V. Switzer”, became the first woman to run and finish with a race number – despite the race director’s best efforts.
Marathon Women
- Accounts of the first modern marathon from the Sport Journal and the Journal of Olympic History.
- Boston Globe coverage of Bobbi Gibb’s 1966 run and “KV” Switzer’s 1967 run.
- Interviews with Bobbi Gibb and Katherine Switzer.
- An excerpt form Katherine Switzer’s book detailing the fear she felt as Jock Semple attempted to take her race bib.
- A 1967 Boston Globe editorial in favor of letting women join the race officially.
Boston Book Club
We have two recommendations for the Boston Book Club this week. One of which is a book that’s deeply tied to this week’s show, but we haven’t read, and the other of which is only tangentially connected to the show, but we’ve both read and enjoyed it.
Bill Rodgers, known for decades as Boston Billy, is synonymous with the Boston Marathon in many minds. Starting in 1973, he came out of nowhere and started racking up marathon victories, including four at Boston and four in New York. After retiring from competition, he ran a running store at Faneuil Hall called the Bill Rodgers Running Center, and at 72 he is still a fixture at races around the region, sometimes providing commentary or simply signing books, and sometimes running races for charity.
The book Marathon Man is the story of his rise to glory in the years leading up to his first win in Boston. He describes his early love of running and the good fortune that allowed him to train with some of the best runners in the world. Many of his tales are familiar for anyone who runs in Boston. He describes his first round of serious marathon training in 1973, when he lived in Jamaica Plain and tried to log at least 20 miles every day. Most of those miles were a steady grind on the short loop around Jamaica pond.
On the first day of this routine, he logged 13 miles of endless laps around the pond in the afternoon, another six miles after dinner, then describes getting out of bed just before midnight to run one more mile to be able to meet his goal before the day’s official end. For Rodgers, the challenge wasn’t running 20 miles, it was crossing the Jamaicaway. He describes his trepidation at crossing four lanes of the Jamaicaway while dodging Boston drivers hopped up on Dunkin Donuts coffee.
For Marathon fans, the highlight of the book will likely be his detailed memories of his first Boston victory in 1975, and the joy and exuberance in running that ooze out on every page.
Bobbi Gibb has a book that, although neither of us has read it yet, sounds similar in spirit to the Rodgers book. Called Wind in the Fire, it’s a volume of memoir focused on her training and inspiration in becoming the first woman to finish the Boston marathon. On the flyleaf, she says:
The Wind in the Fire is the recounting of the two years, from the time I first saw the Boston Marathon and fell in love with it in 1964 to the time I became the first woman to ever run the Boston Marathon in 1966. During that time I trained and followed my spiritual path. This is the story of that journey.
Upcoming Event
On the weekend of May 18th and 19th, Historic Newton is hosting their 37th annual house tour. For a single admission fee, you’ll get access to tour six historic homes in one of the oldest towns in the Commonwealth, most of which are private residences that aren’t usually open to the public. The event promises both a glimpse into local history and a dab of inspiration for your own home renovation projects. Tickets for the house tour are $35, and advance registration is strongly recommended.
The house tour is one of Historic Newton’s major fundraisers for the year, and it includes a special bonus event. On the evening of May 18, you can join their Preview Party for cocktails and appetizers hosted at a historic private home, which they describe as:
ONE OF NEWTON’S BEST EXAMPLES OF CRAFTSMAN STYLE ARCHITECTURE, [the home] has been residence to a state legislator, a theater owner, a restaurateur, plus Brandeis University’s founder and two of its presidents. Guests who have visited include Eleanor Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, the Dalai Lama, Leonard Bernstein, Marc Chagall, Ralph Bunche, Marian Anderson, Golda Meir and Earl Warren.
In 1919 the house was a target of an anarchist bombing linked to a group associated with Sacco and Vanzetti. This spring will mark the incident’s 100th anniversary.
Graciously restored, stewarded, and preserved for over a century, 66 Beaumont is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Our hosts have updated the home with a nod to the past that enables guests to appreciate its historical significance.
Now, the preview party does require a significant additional contribution to Historic Newton, but it sounds like a fantastic event, with historical ties to events we’ve covered on the podcast in the past.